Flexible bag structures have been employed for products with multiple discrete components that may be dispensed in a flowable state, such as dog food, cement, charcoal, or powdered substances. Such flexible bag structures are difficult to grasp, lift or carry since neither the bag or its contents provide any structural support. More recently, these difficulties have become of increased importance as the size and weight of bags and their contents have tended to increase in the marketplace. Such bags are currently being marketed with weights (including contents) of 40-50 pounds (88-110 kg) or more.
Handles have been provided in the past for manipulating containers, and specifically for flexible bag structures. Preferably, a handle for a bag structure is lightweight, inexpensive (since it is likely that the bag and the handle will be discarded after dispensing the contents), easily and quickly applied, unobtrusive prior to use, and securely attached to the bag during manipulation of the bag and its contents.
Flexible bag structures have been provided in the past with die cut or molded polymeric handles. Such handles are relatively expensive and are not efficient in distributing stress or weight. Further, it is difficult to attach the handle to the bag structure without penetrating the walls of the bag, thereby exposing the contents of the bag to the environment. Die cut or molded handles are relatively thick and inflexible and render the bag difficult to store or handle efficiently.
Tape handles may be devised for flexible bag structures that are less expensive, less obtrusive and easier to apply than the die cut or molded handles discussed above. However, such tape handles would be deficient in several respects. For instance, a tape handle may be devised that includes a segment of pressure sensitive adhesive tape and a segment of deadening material applied to cover or mask an intermediate portion of the pressure sensitive adhesive side of the tape, with end portions of the pressure sensitive adhesive side of the tape segment remaining exposed for application to a bag. The tape handle may be applied to a bag to form a loop protruding from the bag with the length of the loop equal to the length of the deadening material. The remaining portions of the pressure sensitive adhesive side of the tape segment are applied to and adhere to the bag.
However, when such a tape handle is grasped within the loop and the bag and its contents lifted, the adhesion of the tape to the bag is stressed at least partially in a peel mode. A pressure sensitive adhesive tape typically exhibits that weakest bond strength to a surface when stressed in a peel mode, as compared to a shear mode. Such conventional tape handles thus have an tendency to detach from the bag at an undesirably low level of force. This limits the container weight for which a particular handle may be used.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a tape handle that is inexpensive, unobtrusive, easily applied and securely adhered to a container such as a flexible bag structure.